Snowboarding is a sport which combines aspects of surfing, skateboarding, and skiing. The snowboard is longer than a skateboard but shorter than a surfboard and is used as a single ski. Typically, bindings which receive the rider's boots are attached to the snowboard in a fixed position but do not have automatic release capability as do skis. Use of impact release bindings on a snowboard is considered to be undesirable because, unlike in skiing, both feet of the rider are on the same board and the release of only one foot could result in injury to the rider.
Fixed snowboard bindings known heretofore all prevent movement between the snowboard and boots and only permit manual release of the bindings at the location of the attachment of the bindings to the snowboard. This design permitting manual release of the bindings only at the location of the snowboard itself has resulted in injury and even death. For example, three snowboarders are known to have died, at least two by suffocation, because they were unable to reach and release their bindings after becoming buried and covered by snow. The snowboard becomes an anchor, restraining the escape of the rider, when covered by snow due to the inability to easily release from the binding.
The stance position of a rider's feet on the snowboard refers to the angular relationship formed between the midline (lengthwise) of the rider's foot and the midline (lengthwise) of the snowboard itself. The stance position is selected by the rider setting the bindings in a particular fixed relationship to the snowboard during downtime of the snowboard. The particular angle of the selected stance position is referred to in the number of degrees from a reference position in which the bindings are disposed crosswise or sideways to the length or midline of the snowboard. For example, "zero" degrees refers the bindings being set at the reference position, extending straight across the snowboard from edge to edge. Setting the bindings away from the reference position toward the nose of the snowboard is an angle greater than zero degrees while setting the bindings away from the reference position but toward the tail of the snowboard is an angle less than zero degrees which will be identified with a negative (-) sign. Typically, the front foot binding is set at a stance position between 0.degree. to 60.degree. and the back foot binding is set at a stance position between -5.degree. to 55.degree.. Freestylers set their bindings at low angles to position themselves nearly sideways in a skate/surf stance for stability: front foot binding set between 0.degree. to 20.degree., and back foot binding set between 5.degree. to -15.degree.. Alpine riders set their bindings at the higher angles closer to a skiing position for racing and aggressive carving: front foot binding set between 40.degree. to 60.degree., and back foot binding set between 35.degree. to 55.degree.. Free riders set their angles somewhere inbetween for a combination of stability and aggressive carving: front foot binding set between 20.degree. to 40.degree., and back foot binding set between 15.degree. to 35.degree.. Therefore, the selected set stance position is a compromise limiting the forces transmitted to the snowboard from one set position regardless of the terrain and various conditions encountered while riding.